Kevin Johnson picks off Deshaun Watson and other notes from Day 2 of Texans training camp

Day two of training camp has come and gone and with it, more and more of the offseason plan is coming into fruition. While questions still arise among several positions, the Texans unit has seen promise and growth in areas that many have speculated to be an issue moving forward.

Working on staying healthy and improving in his pass coverage, cornerback Kevin Johnson seemed to be taking the steps in the right direction Friday morning. The fourth-year corner caught the eye of multiple reporters and coaches as he bested wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins by intercepting a fade pass from quarterback Deshaun Watson.

“He’s had a good offseason and he’s come back in great shape,” Texans head coach Bill O’Brien said. “It takes a while. You come in as a rookie, experience some injuries. It just takes a while to develop your game at this level and I think he’s come in and had a really good offseason. It’s been good to see.”

Johnson has been criticized in the past for his lackluster coverage skills and inability to remain healthy. The Texans picked up his fifth-year option this offseason, hoping with a revamped secondary, the 2016 first-rounder will finally come into his own this training camp.

“He’s definitely learning every day from going against me and I feel like he wants to,” Hopkins said. “He wants to compete against me every day. I love it.”

While Johnson might have bested Hopkins once, the All-Pro wide receiver still impressed with Watson during passing drills. With the day being highlighted by a one-handed catch on an out route, Hopkins stated how he believes even after his contract extension, he still feels unappreciated as one the NFL’s top pass catchers.

“I definitely feel like I’m underrated. I think I’m the best receiver in the NFL,” Hopkins said.

It’s easy to understand why Hopkins might still feel that way. The former Clemson standout has been one of the more productive receivers in the league since 2013 while playing with 16 different quarterbacks along the way. Last season, Hopkins spent time with three different QBs and still was able to collect 13 touchdowns while finishing fourth in the league with 1,378 receiving yards.